Vanilla cream filled buns

by Andrea Gámez

These vanilla cream filled buns recipe is inspired in some norwegian cream filled breads we found fascinating. They are fluffy, somewhat sweet and the cream gives them that perfect touch. Speaking about cream, which is a classic pastry cream, it is something you can not skip… this recipe is what it is beacause of this cream filling.

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To make them, as we usually say, you can use either a standing mixer with a dough hook on, or a bread machines or even just your bare hands and a clean surface. Of course each way of making it has its advantages, but for sure there is something just soothing about kneading with your hands, or at least that´s how I feel: we put more love into the dough. And, I mean, is a good feeling to take flour and a few ingredients and create something with your bare hands, which I enjoy a lot and have been interested in since little, when I saw mom baking and cooking.

The cream filling for this bread calls for a lot of vanilla, and if it comes directly from a fresh vanilla bean even the better. Vanilla (extract) is widely used in several desserts to give a touch of flavor, but when we want something to taste like real vanilla we have to use fresh vanilla bean seeds which are almost like gorunded gold. Vanilla somes from an orchid species native to Mexico and it is considered one of tin the world, which is also really hard to get because of all the work it takes to produce. Nowadays is produced in many places worldwide mainly in madagascar.

I don´t know how many times I have used the word “vanilla” but now I will tell you a little about the importance of the process of making a dough. As you might have heard, when it comes to doughs you must be patient, really patient… first when kneading, then wehn they rise, and later while baking. All doughs must be made well so that when fermenting they can produce carbon dioxide, slcohol (etanol) and heat… and this is why they should always have yeast or sourdough that make the dough rise, make it have a soft and fluffy crumb and this makes for a better flavor and smell of bread.

This dough, as any other, calls for yeast and it has to be made exactly as we explain it to get amazing results. Time is usually the principal secret ingredient in this type of recipes.

If you like these type of breads you can´t miss our danish pastry recipe, you will love it!

Vanilla cream filled buns

Prep Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

For the dough:

  • 1 C (8 fl oz) (240 ml) whole milk warm
  • 2 tsp instant dry yeast
  • 1/2 C (3.5 oz) (100 gr) white sugar
  • 4 C (16 oz) (450 gr) all purpouse flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 (2.6 oz) (75 gr) unsalted butter at room temperature

For the vanilla cream:

  • 1 1/4 C (10 oz) (300 ml) whole milk
  • 1/2 vanilla bean the seeds
  • 1/2 C (3.5 oz) (100 gr) white sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/4 C corn starch
  • 2 tbsp (1 oz) (30 gr) unsalted butter

To decorate:

  • 1/2 C (2 oz) (55 gr) confectioners sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 C (2.6 oz) (75 gr) shredded coconut to decorate

Instructions
 

For the dough:

  • Put the milk in a big bowl (or in the mixer bowl), add in the yeast and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  • Once this time has passed, mix in the sugar and eggs and mix until fully integrated.
  • Add in the flour and salt, and mix using a wooden spoon or using your hands until you get a dough. Place the dough on a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes.
  • Add in the butter little by little until you get a soft dough. In the begining it will be difficult but you will then see it perfectly intergrates.
  • Knead for 5 more minutes until you get a smooth and elastic dough. This whole kneading process can also be done in a standing mixer with a dough hook on.
  • Place the dough in a bowl with some oil, cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour and a half.

For the vanilla cream:

  • Using a really sharp knife, open up the vanilla bean lenghtwise and scrape out the seeds.
  • In a small pot, place the milk along with half of the sugar, and the vanilla bean seeds and cook it in low heat, mixing ocasionally with a whisk.
  • In a small bowl, mix the rest of the sugar, salt, egg yolks and cornstarch using a fork. Mix in a little of the milk for this mixture to temper.
  • Pour the egg yolks into the milk pot and cook at medium heat for about 3 minutes, mixing non stop, until a thick cream forms.
  • Take away from the heat and then mix in the butter. Pour this cream in a clean bowl, and cover with plastic wrap (which must touch the cream surface itself to avoid a custard forming) and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For baking:

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF (180ºC). Grease a baking sheet of about 18×13 inches (46cm x 33cm). Once the dough has rested, place it on a clean surface and divide it in 12 pieces.
  • Form balls with each piece of dough and place them on the baking sheet separeted for about 1.5 inches (4 cm). Cover the baking sheet with a kitchen towel and let them sit for 30 minutes.
  • Once the time has passed, press each a little in the middle with your fingers to form a small hole where to put the filling. Cover them up again with the kitchen towel and let them rest for another 30 minutes.
  • Before putting the filling, press the middle a little more to make the holes bigger. Now, fill each bread with the cream filling, and brush each one with some beaten egg (optional).
  • Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until the breads turn golden brown.

To decorate:

  • To make the glaze, in a medium bowl mix the confectioners sugar, milk and vanilla extract.
  • Once the breads cool down a little, decorate with the glaze and with some coconut.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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1 comment

Danish pastry from scratch, the dough and filling - HORNO MX 27 January, 2021 - 1:59 am

[…] If you like this recipe then you have to go see our vanilla cream filled buns. […]

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